McLaren-Honda is planning to test new ideas to help improve engine driveability in Monaco, as it targets its first points of the year.

Although the tight confines of the Monte Carlo track will not expose the horsepower deficit Honda still has against its rivals, there still remain questions about how its power delivery will be.

Two weeks ago in Spain, Jenson Button was left frustrated after severe balance issues left him reflecting he had completed the 'scariest' 30 laps of his career.

Fernando Alonso said ahead of Thursday's opening practice session that driveability was something that his team would be focusing on with some new developments coming in to play.

"It is a question mark that we have to answer," he said. "It is very important here. You need to get some confidence in the car to be able to risk and to be close to the barriers on Saturday lap.

"So [in terms of driveability] we have some ideas to test here, because it has been up and down during the season.

"Also there is some forecast that says it may rain during the weekend. If that happens it will also be the first time that we have been able to run this car in the wet, we didn't have winter tests and in the first five races it never rains.

"It is an interesting weekend in terms of developing the car for us and we will try to be ready."

Points possible

Alonso remains upbeat about the chances of McLaren breaking in to the top ten for the first time this year – but says it will not be a disaster if it does not happen.

"Our target, as I said in Barcelona, is not to get one point, it is to win the world championship," he said.

"If I get eighth position here, or 11th, or fifth, I don't care too much. It is a question of time when we will get the first points.

"In Barcelona we were very close, but without the visor thing I was ninth or 10th. Here maybe it is the same scenario.

"We can be competitive just to get some points, maybe not. Who knows? In some circuits where we have high expectations, it is a tough weekend – and in some others we are pessimistic and we get the best results of the year.

"It is a circuit that could suit our car because the power effect here is quite low. We will try to get a good weekend, deliver some good results and that will be enough to be in the points. Who knows? I think yes, but if not it is not a problem."